Photos: Opposition parties lead Bharat Bandh with protests and shutdowns

Sep 10, 2018 13:11 IST

/

Normal life was affected in several parts of the country on Monday as the Congress-led opposition held protest marches, forced train blockades and closure of shops during a ‘Bharat Bandh’ against the steep rise in petrol and diesel prices. Congress president Rahul Gandhi led the protests at a meeting in Delhi along with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and former JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav. (Sonu Mehta / HT Photo)

/

“Modi government has done a number of things that were not in the interest of the nation. The time to change this government will come soon,” said former PM Manmohan Singh who along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi joined the Congress-led bandh protest at Ramlila Maidan. They were later joined by AAP leader Sanjay Singh who had earlier refused to join the protest. (Sonu Mehta / HT Photo)

/

In Bengaluru, roads wore a deserted look since the morning as government buses, private taxis and most autorickshaws did not ply. Business establishments, shops, malls, certain private enterprises remained closed. In parts of Mangaluru, incidents of stone pelting at hotels and shops, which remained open, were also reported. (Arijit Sen / HT Photo)

/

Congress leaders Ashok Chavan, Manikrao Thakre were detained by Mumbai police and taken to DN Nagar police station. Trains were halted briefly and petrol pumps were forced shut in some parts the city while public vehicles plied normally in the financial capital amid the shutdown. In Jharkhand, 58 Congress activists were taken into police custody for trying to enforce the Bandh. (Vijayanand Gupta / HT Photo)

/

Jan Adhikar Party supporters vandalise vehicles during a protest in Patna. Six political parties in the state including the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), have extended their support to the Bandh called by the Congress. Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has backed the protest, but ruled out its participation in the shutdown. (PTI)

/

A security personnel walks past a burning tyre during a protest against fuel price hike and depreciation of the rupee in Guwahati. Tens of people were detained in Assam from multiple districts after they tried to block roads and highways to enforce the shutdown, a senior police official said. However, the Bandh has paralysed normal life as buses and taxis kept off the roads. (PTI)

/

Samajwadi Party activists raise slogans holding their party flags during Bharat Bandh in Patna . The shutdown evoked partial response in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Bus services were affected since early morning in both the states. Many private educational institutions also remained closed. (PTI)

/

Congress workers raise slogans durng a rally in Jalandhar. Elsewhere in Odisha, the school and mass education department announced that all schools in the state will remain closed while the Goa unit of the Congress refused to take part in the Bandh to avoid inconvenience to local people ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. (Pardeep Pandit / HT Photo)

/

Policemen detain a Congress party worker during a protest in Agartala. The BJP however dubbed the ‘Bharat Bandh’ call as an attempt to spread rumour and confusion among the masses. (PTI)

about the gallery

The Congress and 21 political parties are observing a ‘Bharat Bandh’ across the country on Monday to protest the steep rise of petrol and diesel prices, causing hardships to the common man. Although the parties and some non-BJP state governments had promised not to inconvenience people and ensure supply of essential services, the shutdown is appearing to affect normal life in many parts of the country. While Karnataka and Odisha governments declared a holiday owing to the bandh, the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government said there would be rallies without a strike.